Horizons unveils strategic plan

Horizons unveils strategic plan
By ALLAN TINKER
The McClusky Horizons group, under the leadership of Larry Gessner, made public their strategic plan at a free breakfast event at McClusky City Hall on October 10. The Saturday meeting was somewhat hampered by the cold wind and weather, with about 14 people attending.
Those present decided to work on the transportation issue of the four areas of main concern: food availability, transportation availability; opportunities for recreation and fitness; and supporting existing and new community events and resources to increase quality of life. The great response to the Horizons survey was again mentioned, with more than 130 responses coming from the community of only a few hundred (the survey was limited to those within the school district or the 58463 Zip code zone). The strategic plan, prepared by the Horizons steering committee and typed into proper format by Horizons Coach Kayla Effertz, was touted as “one of the best; it got to the heart of things.”
The meeting room was decorated with “rockets” to the future, designed from paper cups, pop bottles and cutouts. The decorations, according to Gessner, were meant to inspire the group to new heights and achievements.
A member of the community addressed the pain of trying to live independently and having no transportation. “It is hard to keep asking your friends for rides,” she stated. The lack of transportation keeps people from shopping uptown, keeping medical appointments, and attending social events. “It is easier to get to Bismarck than uptown in our own community,” she stated.
A suggestion was made to explore the possibility of using one of the smaller buses from the school that sit unused when not transporting students. Other school districts had instituted programs to use their buses to provide needed transportation, with school bus and driver expenses covered by various means: small user fees, fundraisers, merchant association contributions, and/or grant money.